Hot and spicy

Use our guide to cook authentic curries and other delicious Indian dishes.

by: Louisa Holst | 06 Mar 2007

Star Anise

These hard, star-shaped pods contain rust-coloured seeds with a powerful liquorice-like aroma and strong flavour. The stars can be added to the cooking pot whole or ground, but be careful – the flavour is strong. Star anise is often used to flavour Indian sweetmeats and rice dishes.

All spice

The name refers to the aroma, something
approximating a combination of cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg. Also known as pimento, allspice is available whole or ground, and has a pungent, aromatic aroma blended with a warm, sweet and slightly peppery fl avour. It’s popular in marinades, curries, spicy Indian rice dishes and desserts made with fruit.

Turmeric

Made from the underground stem of a ginger-like plant, turmeric is usually available ground, as a fine, yellow powder. It has an earthy aroma and a warm, aromatic flavour that’s slightly bitter. Turmeric is often used to flavour fish curries or Indian sweet dishes, and it’s added to curry powders for the distinctive colour.

Cumin

Cumin seeds are usually roasted and used whole, or ground and added to curries and other savoury dishes. The flavour is quite strong, so use sparingly.

Fenugreek

These seeds have a slightly sweet and pleasantly bitter
flavour. They are often used in curry powders and spice
blends, or added whole to curries.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is made from the inner bark of an evergreen tree, which is peeled, scraped and dried. It is delicately scented and has a sweet aromatic taste. It can be used ground or broken into sticks, to flavour curries, chutneys,
desserts and bakes.

Mace

Mace comes from the same tree as nutmeg. The fruit of the tree has a green outer skin, inside which is a nut with a
brittle shell. Nutmeg is the light grey kernel inside the brittle shell and is used in desserts and bakes. The red
lacy membrane which covers the brittle shell, is mace. When dried, mace has a pretty orange colour. Very small amounts are used to flavour Indian sweetmeats.

Nigella

Nigella seeds are small and black. They have an aroma reminiscent of origanum and a subtle bitter, peppery flavour with a crunchy texture. The seeds are used whole or
ground and are usually fried or roasted before use. Popular in Indian cuisine, especially in lamb korma, vegetable and dhal dishes, chutneys and breads.

Cloves

The dried calyx of the clove flower is used in curries, rice dishes and bakes.

Sesame seeds

These tiny ivory or black seeds have a mild, nutty flavour. Sesame seeds are mostly sprinkled onto breads,
or other savoury or sweet dishes as a crunchy garnish.

Poppy seeds

White and black poppy seeds have a nutty aroma and flavour
and crunchy texture. They are often used in Indian cooking to thicken sauces or sprinkled onto bread.

Ajmo or Ajowan

Ajmo is usually ground and added to curries, especially vegetable curries and lentil dishes, or used whole in
Indian breads. It has a pungent aroma similar to thyme and cumin.

Mustard

Mustard is one of the oldest and most widely used spices in the world. White mustard seeds have a mild flavour and
good preservative qualities and are often used in pickles. Black mustard seeds are smaller and much more pungent.

In Indian dishes the whole seeds are fried in ghee until they pop, producing a milder nutty flavour, or ground
with other spices in the preparation of curry powders
and pastes.

Cardamom

Clusters of seeds are enclosed in pods. The pods are either used whole, or the seeds are removed from the pod and crushed to release a pungent, warm aromatic flavour. Cardamom is used in curries, dishes made with pulses,
pickles, bakes, desserts and spiced teas.

Coriander

Available whole or ground, coriander loses its flavour quickly once ground so it’s best to buy the whole seeds
and grind them as needed. The seeds have a sweet and aromatic flavour and can be used quite liberally as the
flavour is mild. Used in most curry powders and sometimes roughly ground to give a crunchy texture. The fresh leaves of the plant are used as a herb and have a very different flavour.

Dill seeds

These seeds have a strong, slightly bitter taste, are usually roasted and added sparingly to curries.

Saffron

Saffron is the stigma of a flower and is sold in bunches of ‘threads’. These threads are used for flavour and to give a yellow colour to savoury and sweet dishes.

Chillies

Dried chillies are available whole or crushed. As with fresh chillies, larger ones are not quite as hot as the smaller varieties. Chillies are used to add heat to savoury dishes.

- Ideas

You might also Like

24.com publishes all comments posted on articles provided that they adhere to our Comments Policy. Should you wish to report a comment for editorial review, please do so by clicking the 'Report Comment' button to the right of each comment.